Rocky Mountain Aye: Colorado Sports Betting Bill Approved By Senate

Voters will decide the fate of Colorado sports betting this fall if Gov. Jared Polis signs a bill passed Friday by the state Senate.

The Senate approved H 1327, a sports betting bill referring to matter to the fall ballot on a 27-8 vote. The votes could wrap a whirlwind two-week trip through the state legislature for the CO sports betting bill.

Statewide mobile wagering would be possible under the terms of the legislation.

Colorado sports betting needs more backing

Introduced near the end of the legislative session, H 1327 works within the realities of Colorado’s political landscape. The Centennial State operates under a voter-approved Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), a device that requires tax increases to receive popular backing.

“While Article XVIII, Section 2 imposes various restrictions on “lotteries,” commercial sports betting does not qualify as a lottery. The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that betting on horse and dog races is not a lottery, and there is no material difference between betting on horse and dog races and betting on other types of sporting events. Commercial sports betting therefore falls outside the restrictions in Article XVIII, Section 2.”

Each casino could partner with a land-based operator and an internet operator (or use the same partner for both) and deploy one online/mobile platform.

The proposed tax rate of 10 percent falls on the more industry-friendly side of legislation introduced this year. Only esports and high school sports would be banned under the bill.

Colorado gaming is restricted to three remote mountain towns: Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek. The state historically opposes gaming expansion despite a somewhat liberal bent on other issues like marijuana legalization.

Written by

Adam Candee

Adam Candee is the managing editor of Legal Sports Report. He covers sports business and news from Las Vegas, where he works as a sports radio host for ESPN and VSiN. Adam is a former editor and reporter at the Las Vegas Sun, Arizona Daily Sun, and KLAS-TV. He can be reached at [email protected]